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Rubio: Science, faith ‘not inconsistent’ on earth

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday addressed the controversy over the earth’s age he sparked in a recent GQ interview, saying he didn’t regret those comments or that he was asked the question in the first place.

Speaking with POLITICO’s Mike Allen at a Playbook Breakfast event, Rubio clarified his beliefs about how the universe was created, saying he believes science’s conclusions — that the earth is four and a half billion years old — and his faith’s answers about the earth’s age aren’t mutually exclusive.

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“Science says it’s about four and a half billion years old and my faith teaches that that’s not inconsistent,” the possible 2016 GOP presidential contender said. “The answer I gave was actually trying to make the same point the president made a few years ago, and that is there is no scientific debate on the age of the earth. I mean, it’s established pretty definitively as at least four and a half billion years old … I was referring to a theological debate and which is a pretty healthy debate.”

In a recent interview with GQ, Rubio said that he’s not “qualified” to answer a question about the earth’s age and that science and theology present differing accounts of the earth’s timeline. “I’m not a scientist, man,” Rubio told the interviewer.

“At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all,” he told GQ. “Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that.”

On Wednesday at the Playbook breakfast, Rubio said that the conflict he’d been referring to was between what science says about the earth’s age and how it fits with what the Christian faith says on the topic.

“The theological debate is how do you reconcile what science has definitively established with what you think your faith teaches? For me, actually, when it comes to the age of the earth there is no conflict: I believe that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and I think scientific advances give us insight into when he did it and how he did it,” he said.

For some people that reconciliation of ideas is more difficult, he said, and they should have the ability to wrestle with those issues however they see fit.

“I still believe God did it, and that’s how I’ve been able to reconcile that and I think it’s consistent with the teachings of my church,” he said. “But other people have a deeper conflict and I just think in America we should have the freedom to teach our children whatever we believe.”

Rubio told POLITICO he has no regrets about being asked the question by GQ — and said, ultimately, he’s grateful that his comments have sparked discussion on the topic.

“I mean, I wish I would have given a better answer, a more succinct answer, but we went from talking about hip hop and then it got pivoted to the earth,” he said. “I’m not a robot, I got caught off guard I guess.”

Speaking with POLITICO’s Mike Allen at a Playbook Breakfast event, Rubio clarified his beliefs about how the universe was created, saying he believes science’s conclusions — that the earth is four and a half billion years old — and his faith’s answers about the earth’s age aren’t mutually exclusive.

Recently it was announced that little Marco had hired a PR team so as to be able to "reinvent" himself in preparation for 2016

I hope for his sake it wasn't the same team advising Mittens

If he shows up in Mommie jeans signing God Bless America we'll know that it is.

Oh, and Marco?

Who's paying for your PR Team?

You only recently got out of default on your mortgage and student loans

Actually science and faith are incompatible on the age of the earth, the bible's creation story has completely been proven to be false regardless of how you splice together the time line. Republicans have a problem with faith, they actually think that faith in dogma either Economic policy or in terms of religion, protects you from real world facts. It does not, faith should have no role in decision making, facts and results should. And the facts are in, Republican ideas smell and perform like the 100 year old antiquated crap they are. Republicans views on faith based religious teachings is less damaging than their faith based economics. That is why they want to cut public spending in recessions, that is why they think tax cuts for the rich always create jobs, I mean where is the golden age of Bush's massive tax cuts? Why is it that after two rounds of massive tax cuts bush inherited a low 4 percent unemployment and turned over nearly 8 percent unemployment with the economy bleeding 700,000 jobs a month. This faith based thinking is what allowed these incompetent republicans to CUT TAXES on billionaires and millionaires DURING two money sucking wars. The Republicans didn't care about the consequences or the evidence, they wanted to get Saddam and his oil and no evidence to the contrary would be tolerated. The Republicans and their assinine faith is the reason that they should never be trusted in serious positions of power, in the real world facts and results matter and your faith plays little to no part. The results are in and reality has exposed your faith based economics as just wrong, period and end of story.

Rubio is embracing science deniers. Encouraging them is what impedes changes we need to mitigate the effects of man-made climate change, diminishes support of America’s preeminent scientific standing, and hinders an atmosphere of rational discussion.

The New GOP Is The Same As The Old GOP TAX REFORM RUBIO: “We should keep rates low on everyone…Simplify our tax code by getting rid of unjustified loopholes. And generate new revenue by creating new taxpayers, not new taxes.” ROMNEY: “There are alternatives to accomplish the objective I have, which is to bring down rates, broaden the base, simplify the code and create incentives for growth.” EDUCATION RUBIO: “We need to allow charter schools and other innovative schools to flourish. The key to that is empowering parents. Parents should be the ultimate decision makers on where their children go to school… All our parents should be able to send their children to the school of their choice.” ROMNEY: “For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student, so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school, or to a private school, where permitted…To receive the full complement of federal education dollars, states must provide students with ample school choice.” GOVERNMENT RUBIO: “Big government is not effective government. Big government has never worked. The promise of more government as the answer to all our problems is easy to sell. But when it is put in practice, it fails every time.” ROMNEY: “What we’re seeing right now is, in my view, a trickle-down government approach, which has government thinking it can do a better job than free people pursuing their dreams. And it’s not working.” HEALTH CARE RUBIO: “People should be able to buy a health care plan that fits their needs and budget, from any company in America that is willing to sell it to them.” ROMNEY: “I’d just assume not have the government telling me what kind of health care I get. I’d rather be able to have an insurance company. If I don’t like them, I can get rid of them and find a different insurance company. But people make their own choice.” ENERGY RUBIO: “American innovation has now given us access to massive new deposits of oil and natural gas, making America the most energy rich country on the planet.” ROMNEY: “America is blessed with extraordinary natural resources, and developing them will create millions of good jobs – not only in the energy industry, but also in industries like manufacturing that will benefit from more energy at lower prices.”